You Are Safe Now Dearie
by Sarahmouse
Summary: this is an updated version of my tale.
1. Chapter 1

Rumpelstiltskin stood on the windowsill listening for a desperate soul. He heard the cries of orphaned children, weak little boys, and the average cinder girls looking for a better life. And then he heard something, someone he could not ignore. And with the voices of passed Dark Ones ringing in his ears he ran to the aid of Salwa.

Salwa had been walking home from a long day at the market. She argued with the healer, baker, butcher, and of course the bookseller over the day her family's loans would be payed. She thought she would surprise her father by getting home slightly earlier by taking a short cut through the woods. But once she got to the woods some men jumped her. They wanted the money her father owed them. She could not give it so they did the next best thing. They started beating her. In no time at all Salwa was covered in blood and even had some broken bones.

Rumpelstiltskin could not block out the thoughts of Dark ones passed as he ran to save a desperate women. _"What makes you think you can save her?" "Who is she to you?" "She is not Belle don't open your self up to hurt again." _And with that last thought in his head he landed between Salwa and her oppressors. And he said, "I am Rumpelstiltskin and I am here to make a deal with the young lady." The men trembled before Rumpelstiltskin's power and ran off but not before looking at the broken body of Salwa.

_"You've done what you came to do, they let her alone, now you should too." "She means nothing to you and you should keep it that way." "Just walk away Rumpelstiltskin."_

But he could not condone the wishes of the passed Dark One's and bent down to Salwa and whispered "You are safe now dearie." Rumpelstiltskin gently picked up her limp body and started walking back to his castle where he could protect her. _"Unlike you could save Belle." _And with that thought he opened a portal to his castle. "The girl will be fine, you'll see Zoso, you all will see." And with a step into nothingness they landed in the dungeons of his Dark Castle.

Rumpelstiltskin knew what he wanted to do but that was far different then what was needed. He needed to fix Salwa. Her bones needed attention; her skin needed pampering, and her tummy needed filling. So he walked away from the dungeons and up to the guest rooms. _"Shall we put her in Baelfire's room?" _Mumbling to the past dark ones "That's a bit low…don't you think dearies". But he listened and took precious Salwa up to Bae's old room and laid her on the bed with a whimper of pain escaping from her lips. Once he was satisfied that she was safe he ran off to the highest tower of his castle.

_"If you're going though with this at least let us help." "You'll need some unicorn blood, dew of the moon, dittany, powder of the octopus, and of course some broth."_

"**Would you all be quiet**?" With that he grabbed what they had told him and ran back to Salwa. In the room he pored the unicorn blood into her dear veins and rubbed each and every bump and bruise with the moondew. Salwa fell into a dreamless sleep. And Rumpelstiltskin went to the kitchens to see if there was any food to be found. But before he left he leaned down next to her and whispered, "You really must be more careful, dearie." 


	2. Chapter 2

As the clock chimed midnight Mr. Breen, Salwa's father, was pacing in front of a flickering fire. "She should have been back, why isn't she back yet? The apothecary, that crazy old bat must be keeping her." If only he knew in what hands her safety was in at that very moment. If he knew that his own own deals and failure to give payment had caused her downfall he would have been devastated. But as it was he could only pace around the shack they called a home and wait for an answer.

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It had been two days since Salwa had been brought to Rumpelstiltskin's castle and it had been two days since she had been awake. When Rumpelstiltskin wasn't making deals or colloguing with the passed dark ones he would visit Salwa. In his weaker moments he would whisper stories of long gone people and feed her simple broths he had cooked himself.

"_She's never going to wake back up you know." "Maybe a kiss oh great and powerful dark one!" "Just cast her body out like you did with Belle. Your power meant more to you then and it means the same now." _

Their arguments were always the same. That he was a cowered and would do anything to protect his power. But to night was different as he sat by Salwa's side and started to nod off he heard their protests willing him to let her die. And he jerked up and started to mutter, "You may be in my head but I can shut you out. I can shut you out and never let you back in." As he was saying this he walked out of The Room as he now called it and back to the highest tower. He knew he needed to let the Dark Ones know who was in charge and that would require some yelling. And the moment he got out of earshot of Salwa he started again. "Salwa….Will be alright." _"You've obsessed over her since she was a wee little thing. You just want her to love you like Belle learned to!" _"I saw her for the first time when she was a young lass but I've never obsessed over her…or anyone else for that mater. I'm merely doing the right thing, for once. *Ah wull shut ye oot till a'm needin' ye." With this spell done the passed ones voices faded into a hum. Rumpelstiltskin walked away smirking his way into the great hall.

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Salwa's father had waited long enough to confront the apothecary and had decided that morning what he was going to do. So he had grabbed his clock and ran for her shop in the center of town. When he got there after receiving several quizzical looks he stopped to take in a few calming breathes. After which he barged threw the door and stomped up to Faye the apothecary herself. And the words just started poring out of him, "Faye I know you hate the fact my wife had to up and die before we had enough money to pay you for your services but did you really have to take my daughter? She's the only thing I have left and she hasn't been home in three days." At this she put of a hand to stop him and in a quiet voice said, "How would you expect me to take your daughter. I'm far to weak to force her to do anything she wouldn't do on her own." With those words all of Mr. Breen's strength left him and he fell to the floor sobbing. Looking back up at her he asked, "Do you know anything that will help me find her?" And seeing him like this the poor women bit her lip. She could not deny him this one basic need. So she began her account of what had happened a few nights before. "I saw her sneaking into the woods. She seemed in a hurry so I followed her as best as I could. I saw some men were following her as well. They encircled her and started to beat her." As she said that the outrage on his face became an inferno and he shouted "They hurt her and you just stood by AND you're only telling me this NOW!"

She replied by saying, "I'm an old women. I can't stop young men when they have a plan to do something. Sometimes I can't even pull up the roots in my garden. Now do you want me continue or not?" At these words Mr. Breen jumped back up and almost chanted "yes, yes finish please, I need to know." Faye took a steadying breath and went on with her tale "Yes they beat her but then a little man appeared from no where. He was between her and her oppressors. At first I did not recognize him but in a few minutes I placed him. With his grayish gold skin, permanent sneer, and his magic I knew he must be Rumpelstiltskin. He saved Salwa from those men but I can't help but think who will

save her from him."

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Rumpelstiltskin had been at his spinning wheel once again when he had heard his name. That was more unusual then he thought it would be seeing that so many people knew his name. But this time it was different for another reason. This time he clearly saw a vision of what was being said. It was an old man talking to an even older woman. And with this vision came the voices of the passed Dark Ones. _"It was the woman who said your name you know?" "That man weeping in the corner is Salwa's father." "It seems that he knows of your involvement. What ever shall you do?" _

Even though Rumpelstiltskin knew that the last one was a taunt, he knew he had to talk to the father for Salwa's sake. So after checking in on her still limp body he left threw the dungeons into Faye's apothecary shop. He took a bow the minute he was threw and say, "A little bird told me you want to speak." As he stood back up he saw the two humans shaking before him and he continued "Faye you may go. I need to talk to Eli Breen." At this Faye looked quickly at Eli and ran as fast as she could out of her shop. Eli whimpered asking, "What do you want with me and my daughter?"

Laughing, Rumpelstiltskin walked closer and reveled what happened after he had taken Salwa, "I can recognize a desperate soul when I see one. You and your daughter both have one. I want to make a deal but to do that I need her. Do not worry Eli she is fine. I am healing her. And when she is well we will talk about my payment. For all magic comes with a price and a great deal of magic had been done to keep her alive. But for now all you need to know is that she is safe, dearie."

*I will shut you out till I need you.


End file.
